_Guzman, after his wife’s elopement, resides for some time with his
mother; but at length enters into the service of a lady of
quality._
I was prudent enough to keep this affair secret, knowing that all the
scandal of it would be reflected upon me. I sold what remained of my
property, which consisted only of some of the worst of the furniture and
moveables, which my wife had condescended to leave behind, and employed
the money in making merry with my friends. My mother accommodated
herself as long as she could to the life I led, but at last growing
tired of it, she returned to the house where she had left Petronilla,
telling me that she could now live more at her ease with her, than she
could expect to do with me. I offered no opposition to her plans, and we
parted again in perfect good will towards each other.
You will not be surprised that a continued train of expenditure without
any income, soon reduced me to my original condition of life; but an
adventurer, in whatever state it may please fortune to place him, should
always find resources in his wits. Mine did not now abandon me. I learnt
one day that there resided in the town a rich widow, whose husband had
been Governor of a city in the West Indies, and died there, leaving his
lady in great affluence. This widow, who affected great devotion, had no
children, but several relations of consequence; and was at this time in
search of a man, to whom she could confide the management of her
affairs, well knowing that places of this description are not always
filled by men of probity.
This post was a great temptation to me, and I resolved to spare nothing
to obtain it, knowing that my fortune was made if I could succeed. After
having tormented my brains for some time to invent some stratagem to
attain my ends, I learnt that her Father Confessor was a Dominican
Friar, who had an absolute dominion over all her wishes, and that he
must be gained over to my interest. To this end, I bought a purse, and
put eight pistoles, and twenty ducats of gold in it, to which I added a
ring of trifling value, and a gold seal which my mother had presented to
my wife the first day she saw her. After which I laid by my sword, and
put on a very plain suit of clothes. In this state I repaired to the
Convent of the Dominicans, where I asked leave to speak to the Reverend
Father before mentioned, who was a very favourite preacher, and had
converted many. I was taken for one of his penitents, and was conducted
immediately to his chamber, which I entered with an hypocritical
countenance, as if afraid to cast my eyes on so sacred a person, and in
a low and soft voice: “Most Reverend Father,” said I; “I have just
picked up this purse which appears to be full of gold and silver coins,
and although I am but a poor man, I know that I have no right to keep
it. I have therefore taken the liberty of asking for you, that I might
place it in the hands of your Reverence to dispose of it as you may
think fit.”
The good father, charmed with so heroic an action in a person whose
wants might have excused his appropriating it to himself, surveyed me
from head to foot, and commended my disinterested and religious
behaviour. He could not sufficiently extol me; and feeling, at the same
time, a desire to render me some service, as a recompense for my virtue,
he asked me a few questions as to my situation in life, and talents,
that he might know what I was capable of. “Reverend Father,” said I, “I
have now been at Seville for some time, entirely out of employment. I
was Receiver of Taxes at Madrid; but finding myself inclined to spend my
own money to assist rather than persecute the poor, I was compelled to
resign that situation; from which I became steward to a nobleman, whose
affairs were in great confusion. These might soon have been settled; but
in proportion as I arranged them, he involved them afresh, so that after
having served him four years with the utmost zeal and fidelity, I was
obliged to leave him as much a beggar as when I first entered his
service, and without even having received my wages.”
The Confessor listened to me with great attention; and surprised at
hearing a man, whose dress did not much prepossess him in favour of his
education, speak in such good terms, he asked me if I had ever studied.
I told him that I had studied most assiduously with the intention of
entering the church; but, that after having seriously reflected on a
vocation which required so many virtues which I did not possess, I had
given up such an idea. He was curious to ascertain how far I had gone in
Theology; and as all my lessons were still fresh in my memory, I
answered his questions in a manner which astonished him. My interview
with him lasted two hours, and he was so well pleased with me, that he
assured me of his friendship; and, in taking leave, told me, that on the
Sunday following he would advertise the purse I had found, in his
church, and that if I would call upon him on the Tuesday following, he
hoped he might by that time hear of some place to suit me.
After having left his Reverence I repaired to my mother’s. “I have
lost,” said I, “the purse you gave me, in which were your ring and
casket, together with eight pistoles and twenty crowns in gold of my
own. Happily, however, it has fallen into the hands of a Dominican
Father, who will advertise it in his church on Sunday. You must
therefore go there, and claim it as your property, as I do not wish to
appear before his Reverence for certain reasons which I will afterwards
explain.” After a little more instruction, the good woman did not fail
to repair on the day fixed to the Dominican’s Church, where she heard
the father publish the purse as he had promised, not forgetting to
bestow the greatest eulogiums on the honesty of the poor man who had
found it, and delivered it to him. My mother, who knew as well as I did
the contents of the purse, had but little difficulty in getting it
restored her, after leaving two pistoles with his Reverence as a reward
for the honesty of the person who found it.
My purse then was restored to me with the loss of two pistoles only.
Tuesday had no sooner arrived, than I waited upon the Dominican again,
who received me very kindly: “My son,” said he, “a good old woman who
has claimed the purse which you found, has left two pistoles with me in
charge for you.” I affected to be scrupulous of receiving this present,
as I had only done what was my duty, for which I did not deserve or
desire to be remunerated: but the good father told me that he thought I
well deserved it, and obliged me to accept of it; which, as you will
suppose, I no longer refused, purely in obedience to his commands.
He then informed me that he had some better news to communicate; which
was, that he had obtained for me the situation as steward in the family
of one of the principal ladies in Seville. “You cannot but be happy in
this family,” said he, “for the remainder of your days, if you perform
your duty conscientiously, for which I entertain so good an opinion of
you, that I have passed my word.” At words like these, so flattering to
such a rogue, I prostrated myself at his reverence’s feet, and embraced
his knees with transport. He assisted me to rise, and assured me of his
protection. Then charging me with a letter to the lady, who proved to be
the widow before mentioned, he told me that he had already prepared her
to receive me.
I went immediately to pay my respects to my new mistress, and it was not
difficult to perceive, by the reception I met with, that the Friar had
told wonders of me. She addressed me, not as a man who was to be her
servant, but as one of whom she already entertained the highest opinion.
The good Father had also taken care to fix my salary and perquisites.
She asked me if I was satisfied. I answered with a modest air, “that it
was more than I deserved, but that I would endeavour to render myself
worthy of her bounty by my care and fidelity in her service.” My person
and conversation pleased her infinitely, and she desired me to consider
myself in her service from that moment. Accordingly I had my trunk
carried in that evening, in which was all I possessed.
A very handsome room was assigned me, and I remarked with pleasure, that
the other servants looked upon me as their superior, and as one whom
their lady would have respect paid to. All her private papers were
entrusted to me, and I applied myself so assiduously in discharge of my
trust, that I despatched as much business in fifteen days, as my
mistress expected would have taken up six months. Overjoyed at the
acquisition of so expeditious an accountant, she never saw the
Dominican, but she praised me exceedingly; which afforded the good
Father great pleasure, who really thought me a young man of integrity
and virtue.
I was frequently obliged to consult my lady on affairs which could not
be settled without her approbation, and these interviews sometimes
lasted for some hours. On these occasions I always behaved myself with
so much respect, softness, and insinuation, that I perceived I was daily
gaining ground in her good will. At first she had fixed certain times
for me to speak with her on domestic affairs; which were in the morning
at her toilet, and in the evening after supper. This did not last long;
for she would come into my room after dinner, under some pretence or
other, and spend hours with me in discourse which had no relation to
business. Her fondness for me increased daily, and I could not but
foresee the happiness she designed me. I affected for a long time not to
understand her kind intentions; but flesh is flesh: and she having
condescended to make advances at least half way, I could not forbear
meeting her the other half. She excused her frailty by saying she
designed to marry me privately, and I abandoned myself entirely to my
good fortune, from which I should undoubtedly have reaped considerable
advantage, had I been prudent enough to maintain my ground.